Carl Johnson, the NFL's vice president of officiating, agreed with the call made on the field when Cruz was ruled to have declared himself down, according to someone informed of Johnson's review of the play. The person requested anonymity because the league didn't release any information on Johnson's review of the play.

Pereira, the former of head of officiating who's now an analyst for Fox, said the play should have been ruled a fumble that was recovered by the Cardinals, saying the officials shouldn't have protected Cruz from his own "stupidity." Cruz released the ball because he believed he had been touched down.